Thank God Edward Snowden Did Not Jeopardize the Summer Olympics

Not everyone is so thrilled with Edward Snowden’s departure this morning from Sheremetyevo airport. Travelers stuck at the airport waiting for delayed flights, for example, were probably understandably annoyed that “that guy got out of here before we did and he literally lived here.”

The United States government is also displeased, although for slightly different personal reasons. “We see this as an unfortunate development, and we are extremely disappointed by it,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters. It’d be so much better if the U.S. government were angry—“disappointed” is so tough. Actually, The New York Timesreports that Russia’s offer of asylum “infuriated” the White House, which is, we suppose, just choosing to describe itself as “disappointed” because it knows that’s what will sting the most.

According to The Hill, “Carney also said the White House was ‘evaluating the utility’ of a scheduled bilateral summit in Moscow next month, a further indication the U.S. may pull the plug on the one-on-one talks between President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin. ‘Obviously this is not a positive development,’ Carney said of the talks.” The U.S. doesn’t even know if it feels like talking to Russia, that’s how disappointed it is. Sure, President Obama would expect this kind of behavior from Ecuador or the Ecuadorian embassy in London, but not Russia. The Times reports that certain American statesmen are so “disappointed” by the handling of L’Affaire Snowden that they “have called for harsh retaliation against Russia, even a boycott of the Winter Olympic Games to be held in Sochi.”

Oh no, not the Winter Olympics. They’re the second-best kind of Olympics. Forfeiting enjoyment of televised events such as women’s curling and 15-kilometer alpine skiing? The price for patriotism has never been higher.